Where I think about the blogger that I want to be

by John on May 1st, 2012

Previously, with this little corner of the blogosphere of mine, any time that there’s been a lack of posts, it’s been because I’ve been without post ideas. If I had the idea, I’d find the time to write it out. Some may have turned out a little better than others, perhaps . . . if I was stressed for time, I mightn’t have proofread the posts as thoroughly as I should. If I had too much time, I’d run off in tangents, and let the tangents run off on tangents, until I had whole posts that were nothing like I had originally anticipated.

Lately, though, I have the ideas . . . but absolutely zero time to turn those ideas into something concrete. And, on one level, this is a good thing — I’m keeping busy, and when I’m busy, I’m not bored. On another level, well, I’m not here nearly as often as I’d like to be. I’m far-far behind on checking in on comments, and I hate this place being a one-way blog . . . it’s the reader interaction that I actually most-look-forward-to.

I keep thinking “well, I don’t have a lot of time, so why don’t I just write a quick post about what will be here next week,” but that would, quickly, turn into the “On the next Arrested Development” where I’d talk about stuff happening that would never actually happen. And that would make me sad . . . though I’m tempted to just randomly write “Steve Holt!” in the middle of blog posts now.

The thing is, if I’m not blogging often, I’m not being anywhere near the blogger I want to be. As I said – it’s the interaction that leads me to want to blog.

Unfortunately, my title at Write on Edge, I fear, hasn’t been revoked simply because the ladies in charge are just too kind to kick me out. The problem is that most of our interaction happens on Skype, and I can’t get to Skype from work . . . and, even when I’m home, I’m usually connected via the work network. Nevermind the work with the prompts . . . because, well, I haven’t been getting around much these days.

Those whose blogs I frequent have probably noticed that I’m not commenting anywhere nearly as much as I once did. However, this doesn’t mean that I’m not reading — it’s just that I might not actually work my way over to a blog to say “hi,” and just read from the emailed notification (this is a reminder, if you don’t offer emailed posts of your blog, no matter how great a writer you might be, no matter how much I’d like to follow your posts . . . I likely am not doing so). Fiction posts, while I love them, I often leave without comment. I want to pick each & every one apart, giving specific & constructive criticism (especially to Lance & Kir) . . . but the amount of time I want to spend with a single piece of fiction is more than I have, and rather than do something half-assed, I enjoy the piece and move on without chiming in (unless your name is Cam and I can’t help myself because I’m just in awe of what you’re able to churn out).

So, I’m not really sure what I’m trying to get across here . . . basically, I wish I were around here more. I wish I were visiting your places more. I miss the time that I’d devote a good hour to blogging, and I’d go through the archives of each & every new commenter who shared their blog with me, just to get a feel of who was reading. Now, I’m staying afloat – no more, no less.

In the long run, I actually think this might be good for me . . . as I’m spending less time thinking in 140 characters and more time thinking about grander things. I have a magnum opus in me — maybe this streak of “being too busy to be a good blogger” is what I need to draw it out.

I haven’t been on Twitter in about 3 weeks. I am both happy and sad about that. Just no time.

Right there with you on the not commenting on fiction posts. Mostly because sometimes I’m not sure exactly what to say and I don’t want to come off sounding too peppy (“great work!”) or trite (“moving”). You know?

My name is Cam (yay!) and I speak for the Trees… no wait, that’s the Lorax. Anyway… WoE isn’t kicking you out. You’re our code-monkey cabana boy! If you are moved to write for us or whatever, do put yourself on the schedule. Duh.

Glad to know that I’m not working the “to be closed for permanent reservations” area of the cabana.

There’s no way I’m vanishing completely — but, I may disappear for a week in the very near future as I churn out a musical. I don’t know how I’ll pull it off, but the musical is actually speaking to me lately, begging for me to write it. So I think I have to do that.

Oh Kir, I far from hate your stories . . . of all of the WoE regulars, you are the one that I always make sure that I visit every prompt (I actually usually start with you, and then open tabs for each & every person either before you or after you or between you & Lance). I’m just afraid that, too often, I read it & move onto the next one.

I’m telling you: once a week is where it’s at.
(With blog posts, of course. Other things require addressing multiple times a week.)

I would feel far too pressured if I tried to post three or more times a week. And then I’d start the self-defeating spiral of being disappointed in myself for not following through with an impossible goal.

Not that I wouldn’t want to read you more often.
But seriously. Once a week is good.

When I first started, I aimed for three times a week . . . Monday, Wednesday, Friday seems about right . . . I think I might actually churn out better posts if I sat down & tried to only post one a week, but then something unbelievably cute happens and I want to get that written down . . . and once it’s written down, I want to share it.

Damn kids for being too cute.

But, I’m seriously giving consideration to doing something ultra creative once a week. I just don’t know what yet.

Posts like this make me feel like such a blogging fraud; like I’m doing it wrong. My blog has no theme, sometimes I don’t write for weeks, sometimes I write a few sentences. I should probably be more disciplined about the whole damn thing, but I guess I don’t think of myself as a “blogger” or a writer in any capacity of the word.

You could forget about this thing for months and we’ll all come back. Life happens and, as it should, takes precedent.

See, you’re one of the ones who is truly “doing it right,” in my book — what’s on your mind ends up on your blog. It might mean your garden or it might be a strongly-worded political diatribe, but it’s always honest & it’s always in the moment.

Magnum Opus! Yes!
My blog alternates between being a way into my magnum opus and a distraction from it. I just try to stay honest with myself about which it is on any given day and roll with that. I’m really glad I never went all business-y with my blog because I would feel pressure then, and I like not feeling that pressure at least in ONE area of my life.

Yeah, I’ll never go “business-y” with my blog . . . heck, I don’t even host giveaways (though I’m approached with offers) because I don’t want the stress of feeling that I’m endorsing something here. But, I won’t deny that, if I made enough money off of my blog to support the costs, and maybe a random trip to Starbucks, it wouldn’t suck.

I really think I’m going to set aside a night, every other week, to my musical. I think I have some catchy tunes written, and a story line that works. We’ll see if i can get myself disciplined enough to go from “disjointed melodies & story ideas” to “a musical” anytime soon.

About

John is an endurance athlete, when he's not a writer, which is what he falls back on when he doesn't have a lot of gigs as a musician . . . which is what he does when he's not working as a web developer, which is how he makes a living.

He lives in central Pennsylvania with his wife, two children, dog, and his few remaining marbles.

When he grows up, he wants to be an astronaut/mad-scientist/nacho-taste-tester.